Internal-combustion engine.



E.*M. BOURNONVILLE. j mTERNAL coMBusno'N ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-23. |915.

3 n ve Moz ij dname WITNESS E. M. BOURNONVILLE.

INTERNAL coMBusTloN ENGINE.

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M'Pucmou min SEPT. 23. |9l Patented June 12, 19117 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- E. M. BOURNUNVILLE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 23. 1915 IIIIII WITNESS UNITED STATES irENT OFFICE. i

EUGENE I. 'BOU'RNONVILLEy 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

more particularly designed for use in valves Athe valve, whereby the Cooling of the both a longitiulinal passage ofthe kind disclosed and claimed in-my Patent No. 1,118,730 of November 2i, 1914, an alternative form whereof is shown and claimed specifically in my Patent No. 1,119,494, dated December 1, 1914. ln these patents a cylindrical valve member, conveniently termed tlie valve, having means for controllinglr both intake and exhaust ot each of the series of cylinders, rotates in the bore or cylindrical valve chamber of a` suitable easing', Whichflattcr is provided also with a" longitudinal passage traversed by the gaseous' fuel mixture on its way to the. cylinders, the said passage. being open substantially continuously to the surface of.

exhaust is cooled and lubrie: ted throughout its length by the current of fresh gases', eontaining, of course, vaporizahle gasolenand also bearing an app1-o|niate -tpiantity of lubricatingoil supplied in a si'itahle manner.

valve, in addition to that ob tained b 4water-jacLeting, is secure( eaus'ing te lfresh fuel ,in the interior of theI valve and an intake manifold embodied .in the easing, this manifold preferably hav-ing a. continuous or Vsubstantially continuous longitudinal opening into the. iv'alve'seat bore, whereby the fuel enrrent is eonducted in coutaetwith the snrfare of the valve throughout its length as aforesaid. By .these means `the eombined exhaust valve, despite the high heat of the exhaust gases, iskept relatively cool and continuously supplied with lulu" 1ant, in order that the. great defects of prior rotary vlilu'lriral exhaust. valve strurtules. namely Specication o! Letters Patent.

valve heated b v the- 1 by i gases lyo tlow through' intake and Patented June 12, 1917.

Application led September 28, 1915. Serial No. 52,155.

seizing of the valveand cutting of the surfaces, due to overheating and .failure of lubrication, may be avoided.

The present invention supplies another feature of great 4importance to the preservation of the surfaces, namely the ability of the valve floating on its oil film to play or shift slightly in a longitudinal direction while rotating, so that any one point on the.

valve, for example, a particle of carbon, is prevented from turning' in the same piave and therefore cannot. cut a groove. The driving mechanism is separated vfrom the valve and so constructed as to turn the same without restraining its transverse orv longitudinal play.

The valve is preferably l'made in ltwo or driving.V

more separated sections, with a member interposed between them and fixed on an independent drive shaft extending within the interior of the valve, whereby the valve sections are driven simultaneously hat with full freedom for play as indicated.

ln one embodiment of the invention the fuel gases are admitted to the internal passage of the rotating valve member intermediate its ends, preferably at the middle, and thence flow in both direeiions to enter the opposite ends of the intake nui'nifold; In this iva-y all `of the gases are eompelled to flow through the interior of the valve` thereby seeurin the greatest cooling for ,this member, wliile at the same time uniformity of charges, as to temperature, (uantityiand composition, are insured for al the cylinders. The central, drivin member attached to the internal shaft may e laterally ported to afford inlets for the fresh gases; andin order to aprevent the fnelmixture entering directly into the manifold the innerrylin-l drical ivall of 'the valve easing is carried ari-oss the open side of the manifold op site. the. driving member. Opposite the va ve sections, however, the opening is continuous as in my prior patents.

'lhese and other features of the invention `will become apparent as thespeeiieation arly pointthrough the upper portion of a four cylinder engine embodying the present valrve improvements.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig.` 4f is a central orizontal sectionv through the valve and, vave casing; y f Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fis 1;

Fig. -G is a perspective view cfa driving member which is interposed between sections of the valve; 1

Fig.l 7 is a' Vertical longitudinal section through the valve casing of the embodiment of the invention shown in the preceding views;

Fig. 8 is a detail face view of a portion of the valve showing' one ot' the external pockets;

Fig. it is a vertical longitudinal section through another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a central horizontal section through this form of the valve; and

Fig. ll is an end view of the central driving member employed in this instance.

The engine cylinders, of which four are shown for purposes of illustration, are desigs nated l, and pistons therein are indicated at Each cylinder has in its head a slotlike por-t 4, which lserves alternately for intake and exhaust. The valve casing 6 is arranged lengthwise` over the heads of the cylinders, with which it may be cast integrally it desired. The cylinder ports 4 open into the bottom of the bore of the casing, and on either hand are an intake manifold l1 and exhaust openings or ports 10, the latter leading to a suitable exhaust manifold In cases where the valve easing is cast With the cylinders its water-jacket 23 also constitutes an integral extension of the cylinder' jackets. ln the body of the valve casing the valve seat bore and the intake manifold 41l extend lengthwise without interruption and are open at both ends, where they are closed to the atmosphere and placed in communication with each other. by two caps 5() and 51, having c l'iambers and 591, l

The eylimlrical valve 5' turning in'l the 'valve seat bore has a central here or ims-y sage 7, to be traversed by the fuel mixture, and lateral, externalLpockets 8, to correct the cylinder ports alternately with i-i` and exhaust, as in my prior patents a fore' said. The valve is made in section order to avoid. warping and secure 'freedom for imleluemlent play, it being desirable to provide a separato section for each cylinder, as set Jforth in my prior patents, tluugh one section may he made to serve two cyiin- (li-rs as herein shown i'or purposes otl illisstration.

. receives the greater part'yof the lateral t rust.

adapted to be clamped against a shoulder 58 thereon by a sldable cone-clutch member 59 Acentral drive shaft 54 extends through the interior of the valve and is joulnaled in bearings 55 and 56 in the two caps 50 and 51, of which the bearing at the drivin end The shaft passes through this cap, the joint being made tight by a stuling box 57, and outside of the same bears a'sproeket Wheel 17, by means of which the shaft and valve are driven by power derived from the crankshaft. As a convenient means of adjusting the angular position of the valve with respect to the crank-shaft, the said sprocket wheel is itself loose on the shaft, but is backed by-a nut 59,

LA driving `member 60 or 60 is fixed on the drive shaft intermediate its ends and between the valve sections 5a and 5", with the g5' ends of which it engages by means of intertting tooth and recess formations 30 of known character, which permit longitudinal movement of the valve sections and are also sufliciently loose for a certain amount of lateral and angular movement. Longitudinal play of the valve sections in outward directions is limited by bearing of the outer ends of the sections with shoulders 61 on the ea s 50 and 51, as clearly shown in Fig., 1, and tlie 95 relation between the lengths of the valve Seat in the casing,vinc`luded between these shoul-c ders, of the valve sections and of the driving member GO or G0, is such that each of the valve sections shown has an end play of one 100 sixteenth of an inch. This clearance substantially" preserved under working conditions, because of the effective cooling provif sions, with the result that the valve Sections, floating onj their oil film and unrestrained 105 either by lthe driving member or by each other, are freeato shift endwise, back and forth to L slight degree, while in their'rotation opening and closing the communications between each cylinder and the intake and exhaust. l

A total lateral clearance, amounting to from about two to about four one-thoufandths of an inch, is provided between the cylindrical surfaces of. the valve and valve seat, which .clearance 1s also not suhstau- 'tially' altered during running, thereby alloiving the valve sections. to shift laterally, or up and down, slightly, throughout thelength of each section., so 'as to enable the I carried by the fresh gases and deposited on the valve .surface to work between all -portions of the contacting and heated surfaces. '.lhis oil lihn is sullicicnt to prevent leakage around the valve and render special packing' 125 provisions between the cylinders unnvressary.

lnthe embodiment of thc invention shown in Figs. l to 7 the driving member (3() is relatively long, hollow' like the valve sections 130 lubricant 1 20v proper, and has a skeleton wall, united to the shaft by a web 65; and affording large inlets 66 for the admission of fuel gases from a carbureter connection 67 communicating with a large ort 68 in the side Wall of the valve seat. t its ends it is provided with the teeth 30, which enter corresponding recesses in the ends of the valve sections,l or

driving member is/I provided with vendwise projecting flanges 75, which'enter rabbeted recesses in the 'ends of the valve sections.

In lthis construction the fuel mixture which enters centrally of the valve divides and flows in opposite directions through the central bore 7 into the chambers 52 and 53, whence -the two streams enter the opposite ends of the manifold 11. From the said manifold charges enter the .cylinders Yin propel' sequence when the cylinder ports 4 are connected with the manifold by the pockets 8. ln this way all or substantially all ofthe fresh gases are compelled to pass through the interior of the valve, the two streams ftowing therethrough are never reversed in direction, and all reversals occur in the intake manifold, thus favoring the li-,position of the4 carried lubricant at the regions where it is to be utilized. The said lubricant is supplied to the current of fuel gases in the manner disclosed `in my prior patents, or by any suitable oil feed whereby drops of oil are introduced into the gaseous stream and thereby atomized and carried along. One or more nozzles for delivering the oil may be provided at suitable points in the path of the fuel mixture, as represented, for example, at 38.

As in the. said prior patents, the intake .manifold communicates with the face of the valve by means of a substantially continul ous longitudinal opening or passage 70. in the ralre seat wall. ln the particular constrlulion shown in Figs. l to 7, the mani- `l'old is Illanked oil' l'ron'l the ports in the ventral `dri\'in; r member (it) b v means of a wall portion (it), `which extends on either side slightly lm vond the outer part of the driving member 'and prevents the fuel mixture passing directly to the manifold from the earbureter, connection without passing lengthwise tlrrmigh the valve. lVith the exception of thisl region, however. the opening or openings T() in the. wall of the .valve seat are uninterruptml and the presence of the wall (3) is of no moment as far as lubrieation is roneerned, because in practice the :li-hing' member is made. with a clearance between it and lthe wall. of the, casing ol about ten olw-thousandlhs of au inch. which is substantially larger than the clearanee. allowed l'or` the valve. sections and praeti cally precludes,touching, ln addition the L@obviously the teeth coul'd fbe on the valve sec-' ,ttion's and the recesses in the driving member. Justinside of these engaging formations the inner wall of the valve casing where it surrounds the driving member is largely cut away to form the large inlet port 68, and by way of this port and the large openings in the side of the driving member more than suliicient lubricantreaches these particular surfaces.' It may be noted'that the distance from the inner ends of the nearest cylinder ports 4 to the inner ends of the valve seetions 5* and 5 is about; one inch in prac -tice, which is enough toenable the oil film to prevent gases being forced into the space around the driving member and thence back into the carbureter on the compression and firing strokes. A small amount of the fresh ases find their way out through the joints etween the driving member 'and the valve sections and enter the intake manifold, but this is really an advantage because it insures lubrication around the extreme 'ends of the` .valve sections.

The fla es projecting within the valve v sections ho d the parts in relative position,

without interfering with the play of the valve sections, 'their particular function being to. keep the drivin member 60 or 60* from touchin the Wallg which would be liable to occur owing to the .flexibility necessarilyV shaft. The clearance etween the external surfaces of the'ianges andthe internal surfaces of the valve sections` with which they cooperate should accordingly be less than the clearance allowed'between the outside of the driving Amember and the Wall ofthe casing bore. The inner ends of the valve sections., in fact, constitute a species of center bearing for the drive shaft, and the lateral suppont or confinement-thus afforded is Vsufficient', to make it permissible to dispense with the pearing 56 in the cap 51, or in other words o omit the rear half of the shaft-entirely. It will be understood, how- `presentin the, drive I of the casing bore,

ever, that such bearing rdoes not hold the 4 parts against; play,`and that both the'valve sections andthe driving membermay vi brate up and down freely1 and that the longitudinal play of the valve sectioml is in nowise interfered with. From the foregoing it will lie-perceived that-thedrivev shaft 54, owing to the considerable distance between the bearing 55 and the driving meinber- 60 or 60, constitutes in effect a flexible driving connection, wl1ieh,undermy eonditions, avoids the valve sectlons being;`

held against play transverselyf tov vtheir length.

he construction illustrated m Figs. to i l1 differs from'thatof Figs. 1 to 7 in that the carburetor connection is at one end instead of intermediate the ends of the valve. i, To this-end the cap-51'* is provided with a i conduit 67 leading from thecarbureter. As in the form `first deserilwd, the elfective cross-sectional areas of the bore 7 and of the quently the gaseous stream is compelled to' divide, approximately one-half flowing through theinterior of the valve to the far' chamber 52, the other half entering directly into the manifold. In this embodiment the driving member 60a may be made much `closer to the lower edges.

shorter than in the first construction, and, sineeitihasno openings in its sides, the wall section 69 of the other figures is unnecessary,

so that there is a single continuous opening y 7 0 from end t0 end of the compound valve. In both instances the lower edges of these openings, that is to say, the edges nearer the cylinder ports are substantially straight, while the portions of the upper edges corresponding m position to the pockets 8 are curved upward as shown` so that the widest parts of the opening or openings are in the same transverse planes as the centers of the pockets, measured lengthwise. Between the pocket-bearing lengths of the valve, the upper 'edges of the said openings are brought In this way the cooling and lubricating currents have the greatest access to the valve surface at zones central with res ect to the length of the pockets, where tiie heat is greatest,'and at the same time the area of cylindrical surfacesat these regions is reduced. It Will be understood, of course, that the upper edges of the openings 7() may be inclined upward, rather than curved, to high points opposite the middle of the pockets, without affecting the result.

A further detailvrelates to the formation ofthe pockets 8 by which the. intake and exhaust gases are passed to and'from the cylinders. These pockets instead of having their end walls 7 2 meeting the bottom at an angle are curved inward, toward each other, and merge into ,the bottom as shown in the various longitudinal sections and in Fig. 8. This has the desirable effect of directing the cxhaust gases emerging from4l the, cylinder ports 'away froml the end corners v73 of the exhaust .ports 10 inthe valve easing, thereby saving these edges from burning. The sides 74. of the pockets are also preferably curved in the same manner, in order to afford a stream-linepathfor the gases, but this is not as important asthc ine'lirving of the end walls.

lVhile l have. described two embodiments of. the. present improvements in detail, it is' to be understood that: I do not limit myself to the. precise constructions shown and that othei A:rluivalent embodiments of Apart or all of the, improvements may be devised by those skilled in the. art.

Vhat l claim as new is: p

l. ln an inlernal combustion engine, eomprising a series of cylinders. a easing having a cylindriral valve seat bore extending lengthwise of said series, a rigid cylindrical rota-ry valve floating on an oil film in said bore with freedom for unforced longitudinal' play under working conditions, a-nd means for driving the valve while permitting play thereto.

2. In an internal combustion engine, comprising a series of cylinders, a casing extending lengtl'iwise of said series, being formed with a cylindrical 'valve seat bore, a rotary valve comprising separate vrigid cylindrical sections, each having means for controlling the intake a'nd exhaust of one or more cylinders, each of said valve sections floating insaid bore with freedom for independent unforced longitudinal play', and an independent coaxial drive shaft having means for turningr the valve sections and permitting their play. v

3. In an internal combustion engine, com.- prising a series of cylinders, a valve casing extending lengthwise of the series and formed with a cylindrical valve seat bore, a hollow rotary valve 'comprising separate rigid eylimlrieal sections turning in said bore, a central independent drive shaft, and a member on said drive shaft between the ends of two valve sections formed vto drive said sections sin'xultaneously while permitting independent longitudinal and transverse play thereof, the valve sections being free to move in either longitudinal direction.

4. In an internal combustion engine, comprising a series of cylinders, a valve casing extending longitudinally of said series and formed with a cylindrical valve seat bore, a

' hollow rotary valve therein comprising separate rigid cylindrical sections, and an independent driving shaft within the valve hav ing means at the middle thereof for simultaneously driving the sections on either hand with freedom for relative play, the valve 4sections being free to move in either longitudinal direction.

5. In a multicylinder internal combustion engine, a valve easing extending longitudinally of the series of cylinders and formed with a cylindrical valve seat bore, rigid cy-.

lindrical'rotary valve sections in said bore,

and driving means disposed between the sections 4for driving the same independently of each other, the said valve sections being free to play longitmlinally inthe valve seat bore relatively to the driving means during the ope-ration of the engine.

(i. ln an internal,combustion engine, a rigid rotary hollow cylindrical valve and a llexihledriving connection passing within the interior of the valve permitting free play to the same in its seat ,in all transverse directions.

7. In a multicylinder internal combustion engine, the combination' of a. valve casing extending longitudinally of the series of cylinders and formed with a. cylindrical flo seat` bore, a plurality of rigid cylindrical rotary valve sections free to float in said bore under working conditions, and separate driving means with which the valve sections are independently engaged.

Bffn a multicylinder 'internal combustion engine, th combination of a valve casing extending longitudinally of the series of cylinders and formed with a cylindrical valve seat bore, a plurality of hollow rigid cylindrical rotary valve sections, a-central drive shaft, and means on said shaft between the valve sections and separate therefrom for` driving the same, the valve sections being free to float in the bore of the casing.

9. In a multicyllind'er internal combustion engine, the combination with a valve casing having a valve seat bore, and an intake Amanifold opening ,into the side of said bore, of a valve turning in the bore and comprising separate sections having means for connectthe intake manifold with the engine cylin ers at the proper times, said valve sections being further provided with longitudinal internal passages for conducting the fresh gases to the intake manifold, means of communication between said internal valve passages and the manifold, a driver between proximate ends of the valve sections, said driver being hollow and laterally open for admission of the fresh gases to the longitudinal passages in the valve sections, and an inlet for fresh gases opposite the driver.

l" 10. In an internal combustion engine, comprising a series of cylinders, a valve casing extending longitudinally of the series and having an .intake manifold and exhaust openings, a hollow rotary valve in said casing comprising lsections adaptedto connect the cylinders alternately with said intake `manifold andfexhaust openings, a central independently journaled drive shaft, a hollow member/carried by said drive shaft between adj acont valve section ends and having engagement therewith whereby the valve sections are permitted to have independent relative play, said member havirligropen' sides, and means for supplying the It l gas mixture, 'whfpasses longitudinally through the interior of the, valve sections in v'opposite directions and thence at the ends fao into saidintake manifold.l Y y 11. In an internal combustion engine, coniprisin a series of cylinders, a valve casing exten ing lengthwise of said series and formed with a valve seat bore, exhaust operiin s therefrom,a longitudinal intake manifo d, and a substantially continuous longitudinal opening in the wall of said bore connectingA the lattery and the` intake inani-v valve in said casin having a longitudine internal passage an external pockets in its walls adapted to connect the. cylinders alternately with said intake manifold and exhaust openings, means of com- 0/ fresh fuel munication` between both ends of the passage in the valve and the ends of the intake manifold, and means for admitting the fresh fuel-gas mixture to the said valve passage intermediate the ends thereof.

12.111 an internal combustion engine comprising a series of cylinders, a valve, casing exlending lengthwise of said series and formed with a valve seat bore, exhaust open-` ings therefrom, a longitudinal intake manifold, and a substantially continuous longitudinal opening in the wall of said bore connecting the latter and the intake manifold, a rotary valve in said casing havin` a longitudinal internal passage and externa pockets in its walls adapted to connect the cylinders alternately with said intake manifold and exhaust openings, means of coininunication between both ends of the passage in the valve and the ends of the intake manifold, said valve having an entrance for fresh gases intermediate its ends, a carburetor connection terminating in a port opening through the Wall of the casing at this region, and moans for preventing said fresh gases passing directly across into the intake manifold. I

13. ln an intern-.il combustion engine coinprising a series of cylinders, a valve casing containing an intakey manifold, a rotary valve in the casing having a hollow interior xcommunicating at both ends with4 said intake manifold, and means for supplying fresh fuel gas mixture to the interior of the valve intermediate its ends to flow in opposite directions into said intake mani-fold, the manifold heilig continuous from end to end.

li. In an internal combustion engine, comprising a series of cylinders, a valve casing extending longitudinally of said series and formed with a valve seat bore,` cylinder ports, exhaust openings, an intake manifold, and an intake opening or openings from said manifold into the valve seat bore, and a rotary valve in said bore having pockets for connectingthe cylinders alternately with the said intake and exhaust openings, the intake opening on openings having Vtheir edges farther from the cylinder ports curved or cut-inse that the said openings l are wir'lest opposite the central-portions of formed with a valve seat bore, cylinder ports, exhaust openings, anintake mann' fold, and an intake opening or openings from said manifold into the valve seat bore, and a rotary valve in said bore having pockets for connecting the cylinders alteropenings, the intake opening or openings having their edges nearer the cylinder ports 'nately with the said intake and exhaust substantially straight and their opposite edges curved away from the straight edges with the greatest width of opening opposite the central portions of the pockets.

16. In a multieylinder internal combustion en ine, the combination with a valve easing aving a valve seat bore and an intake manifold opening into the side of said bore, of a vulve turning in said bore and having means to connect the intake manii'old with the engine cylinders at the pro er times, Said valve being further provi ed with i separate longitudinal internal passage oommunioatin at remote points with the intake lnnnifol and an inlet for fresh gases opening into said internal passage at :an intermediate point.

17.` In a Inultioylinder internal combustion engine, the Combination with avalve casing havin e vulve sent bore and an intake manifold opening into .the side of said bore, of a-valve turning in the bore and having lateral pockets to connect the intake manifold with the engine cylinders at the proper times, said valve being further provided with a separa-te longitudinal internal through said. valve passage in order to enier the ends of the manifold from which it passes to the cylinders by Way of the pockets in the valve.

18. In a' lnulticylinder internal combustion engine, the combination with a, valve easing having e valve seat bore and an intake manifold opening into the side of the bore, of e valve turning in said bore and comprising sections having ineens to connect the manifold 'with the engine cylinders :1t-the proper times, the valve sections being fur-- ther provided with longitudinal internal passages emnn'iunienting et ren-lote points with the intake mnnifold, and n driver between proxilnnte ends ot' the valve sections constituting an entri-mee for fresh gases to pass in opposite directions through said intornei lmssnges :1nd thence into the manifold.

EUGENE M. BO'URNONVILLE. 

